Admiral Charles A. Richard (Retired) is a former Commander of U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), serving from November 2019 to December 2022. At STRATCOM, Admiral Richard oversaw the global command and control of all the nation’s nuclear forces to achieve the national security objective of strategic deterrence. He was responsible for more than 150,000 people conducting strategic deterrence and nuclear operations, nuclear command and control, global strike, missile defense, electromagnetic spectrum operations, and analysis and targeting. Adm. Richard has a unique breadth and depth of operational and policy experience in undersea and strategic warfare. His flag assignments included Commander, Submarine Forces; Deputy Commander, U.S. Strategic Command; Director of Undersea Warfare (OPNAV N97); Deputy Commander of Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike at STRATCOM; and Commander of Submarine Group 10.  

 Admiral Richard is a native of Decatur, Alabama and graduated with honors from the University of Alabama in 1982.  He earned master’s degrees with honors from the Catholic University of America and the Naval War College.